Shattered Remains
by Ikubak
Summary: Soon to be deleted, then rewritten. Check out the Author's Note.
1. Whisper In The Wind

_Shattered Remains_

Whisper In The Wind 

Ariana DeVanore darted through the wet streets of Gotham. Despite her lack of protection, Ariana ignored the freezing rain hitting the multiple bare spots on her body.

The streets were still busy, she could see from the alley. As Ariana sprinted past muggers, and thieves, she silently chuckled at their victims, _Poor, defenseless fools._ Ariana turned a corner leading to another alley. She ran toward a barbed wire fence reaching at least ten feet high. As she prepared to leap over the barrier a voice from behind stopped her.

"Hey, _babay, _" She turned to see drunken patron dressed in a black pinstripe suit, "Why don't you come give daddy some lovin'!"

Ariana rolled her eyes. _Pathetic man. I'll make your death quick and painless, I've no time for the likes of you. _In a quick motion, Ariana launched at the man, she dropped to the ground and swept her foot, knocking his feet the air. The man fell to the ground, hitting it hard. Ariana lashed out her blade and stabbed into the back of the fallen patron. She smirked.

"Sorry, no neckin'." Ariana got back into game mode. She dashed for the fence. The stealthy ninja kicked off of the wall with her right foot, performed a side somersault to the left wall, and leapt over the fence. She ran for the sidewalk and looked to her left. Just down the street was Wayne Enterprises. _There it is. _Her destination was now in plain view now. Wayne Enterprises was where it all began. She thought of the orders given to her earlier that week. _Wayne Enterprises: infiltrate it and retrieve the Orb of Skirah. _

Yes, with the Orb of Skirah, their plan would be in full motion. All that was needed was that Ariana only attracted _certain _attention. She would see to it that she proved herself. _No more failures, _she had promised herself.

Ariana now stood in front of the grand corporation that was Wayne Enterprises. She visually scaled the building, the largest in the city by far. Every light in every window was off. And why shouldn't they be? It was, after all, three o'clock in the morning.

_Well, better get to work. _There were certain protocols Ariana had to be sure were taken in order for the objective to work perfectly. She started at the outer perimeter of the building, she checked for any pedestrians that could jeopardize her situation. She started down the east side of the building, nothing. She turned the corner and saw a group of men huddled over something, or some_one._

"Hey!" Ariana yelled. The men looked up at Ariana and brushed her off. Ariana decided that three more deaths would occur tonight. She pulled out one throwing dagger and launched it at the skull of the blonde male in the middle of the other two. Direct hit. He immediately fell backward as blood formed in a puddle around his head. The other two men stood motionless, fear ever present in their eyes. Ariana looked at their victims, a pregnant woman and her young son. A pain hit Ariana's chest. A tear formed in her eye. The tear lit a flame in her eyes. The flame was her anger burning so very strong. Ariana drew out her twin blades and charged the man on the left. She jammed one blade into his chest, pushing him back onto the ground. Ariana turned his fall into a somersault for her as she ripped the blade out of his bloody chest. She looked up to attack the other man and him heading toward the corner. In a mad dash fueled by anger, Ariana leapt over the man's head and landed in front him.

"You're not getting away that easily." With that said, Ariana readied her blades. She held them tight in her blind rage. She jumped a foot in the air, outstretched her weapons and performed a silhouette. Just as Ariana landed gracefully in a crouched position, the man's neck and abdomen began spilling with blood. He hit the ground with a thud. Ariana gave one last look at the woman and her child. She continued to the end of the alley to check the west side of the building.

"All clear." She said in a saddened tone.

Ariana rounded back to the side of the building. She eyed the area for a moment, and then spotted a camouflaged entrance. She broke the latch and entered down a case of stairs. After closing the door behind her, Ariana continued down the steel stairs. The room she had entered was massive, dark, and cold. Ariana reached the bottom of the staircase. _What is this place? _

Ariana began strolling through the room, examining every aspect of it. During her search, she bumped into a machine. The human-sized robot had a strange symbol on it with an "H" in the center. Ariana leaned in for a closer look. Suddenly its eyes lit up in red. Ariana made a quick effort to get out of the way. She executed a backward somersault. Just as the machine raised it's limb to slice her in two.

"What the--?" She mouthed.

The machine roared to life, it cranked up its based, adding another ten feet to the machinery. The robot brought its foot down in an attempt to crush Ariana. She rolled forward, barely missing the foot. Ariana then ran up the machines leg and all the way up to its head. Once there, Ariana dug her blades at the metal plate protecting whatever lay within. Ariana dropped into the robot and began lashing at the wiring and plugs.

The machine began jerking around until it started shaking uncontrollably. After a while, the robot exploded into a raining mess of wiring and metal. When the dust cleared, Ariana was left standing in the middle of the mayhem.

"Just a minor setback." She sneered.

Ariana headed to a staircase across the room to head to the level floor and into Wayne Enterprises. Her heeled boots clicked all the way up the stairs. Once she reached the door, she decided that her boots could cause as a major distraction. She abandoned them at the door and pressed on.

The air in Wayne Enterprises remained especially cold at night, when everything was shutdown. Ariana could see traces of her breath in the air. She looked down the long corridor and started up for the corner. Her bare feet left no sound to echo on the hard walls, ceiling, and tile. Upon reaching the end of the hall, Ariana heard a voice.

The first voice could not be deciphered due to the static it possessed. _Walkie-talkie?_

The second voice was perfectly clear, "I'll down there as soon as I can." The guard put his communication tool in his back pocket and continued down the next hall. Ariana decided it was best to follow him. _Perhaps he'll lead me to the rest of the security team. Then I can take them out and their monitors. _

Ariana crossed to the nearest means of stealth, a large pillar in the middle of the room. Ariana waited for the guard to turn the corner when she noticed a surveillance camera rotating in her direction. She dove to the side, out of its range of vision. Once the camera rotated back to the opposing side, Ariana jumped up and darted for the corner the guard turned. She checked the corner just in time to see him making a quick right. She also took notice of another surveillance camera, but this one did not move. Ariana debated her minimal options and quickly decided to simply stay out of its range. She jabbed her blades into the wall and moved a good three feet above where the camera was. She used her blade to jab in and out of the wall and hold up her weight. Once she was safe from the surveillance camera, Ariana dropped down to the ground with a soft thud. She stood to see the guard leaning into a room and talking.

Ariana approached him with caution. She readied one of her throwing daggers. In fast motion, Ariana dug the dagger into the side of his skull, which was being covered by the doorway, and placed an arm around him to hold up. The men in the room, four, Ariana concluded, continued talking. This meant that the guard's death had gone unnoticed. Ariana dropped the body to marble floor. Loud obscenities were heard from the room. Moving quickly, Ariana took place above the doorway. She had jabbed her blades into the wall so that she was hanging upside-down with the front of her body touching cold wall. One man stepped out and looked up. Ariana quickly pushed forward so that her feet dropped down, cracking the skull of the man below. Ariana jumped directly back into the room and threw both of her blades to either side of her, they each cut through the guards.

Ariana tore her weapons out of the chests of the guards and cleaned the blood off of them with their clothes. Before Ariana took the cameras offline, she dragged the other two bodies back into the room. The automatic door slid shut behind them. Ariana crossed to the security control panel and observed the various buttons. Impatience overtook her; she reached beneath the panel and began pulling wires. The first wire she pulled took surveillance camera seven offline. Ariana continued pulling until she took all thirty-five cameras offline.

Done with the third protocol of her objective, Ariana exited the room and darted down the halls. She reached the end of the hall and another staircase leading downstairs. Ariana leapt over the railing and dropped at least 3 stories. She hit the ground with a loud thud but appeared unaffected. Ariana stood and headed down the deserted corridor to a door that read, _Staff Only._

All of her work this evening led up to this, it was now or never. Ariana headed to the pathetically disguised door. She reached the large metal structure and used a dagger to remove its bolts. The door dropped toward Ariana, she caught it and attempted to keep it from dropping on her. Every inch of her body trembled under its weight. She lowered the door to a mere inch above the ground and let it drop. The thud still pounded through the halls. Ariana let out an exasperated sigh as she huddled over her knees.

Once she recuperated, Ariana looked into the next room and saw the Orb of Skirah is a glass case. But between her and the orb were dozens of red lasers. Coming in contact with would set off an alarm bringing every crime-fighter right to her. Not exactly the best way to end this mission. Ariana decided to limber up. This would not be the first time she had done something like this, but then again, the stakes were not this high before. After a good five-minute stretch, Ariana stepped into the room, she eyed the lasers all the way the Orb of Skirah, mapping out the movements she'd take and where.

Once she had the general idea of what she'd do, Ariana stepped into the first opening. Then pulled her body through. Then the next, and the next. Ariana continued bending and sliding every curve of her body to execute the perfect placement. Before she knew it, she was standing before the Orb of Skirah. All that she had done had gotten her to this moment, here and now. She carefully lifted the glass covering, awaiting an alarm to sound, but when none came, she grinned and slid her hand underneath and pulled out the orb.

Now, with the Orb of Skirah in her left hand Ariana felt, immortal in the world around her. She just wanted to test the power of the Orb one time.

"I don't know who you are or what you want with the Orb of Skirah, but the Titans will take you down!" A young male voice boomed through room. _What luck. _Ariana turned to be faced with five you heroes.

"The Teen Titan, how lovely that you'd drop in on me. But isn't this Batman's territory?" Ariana taunted.

Robin was losing his patience, "Consider a favor for an old friend. Besides, he wouldn't waste his time with a criminal so futile."

"Futile you say? Ah, little birds like you should learn to keep their beaks shut!" Ariana remained calm, "Besides, I have obtained the Orb of Skirah. What could you five brats possibly do to stop me?"

"We'll do whatever it takes! Titans, G-…"

Ariana intervened, "Ah, ah, ah. I'm ever so sorry Titan, but it appears I must take my leave. Maybe some other time." Suddenly a black portal formed around her feet and she began sinking into the ground.

"Raven! Don't let her escape!" Robin ordered.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!" A black link emitted from Raven 's hands into the portal. She struggled, trying to pull the criminal back up. The Titans were shocked to see Raven get pulled in.

"Raven!" They each yelled as she screamed, being dragged into the portal.

Raven fell to the floor of a room very similar to the one they were just in. She looked up to see Ariana floating above her.

"Who are you?" The hooded Titan deadpanned.

"Why my dear Raven, the more important question is; who are you?"

"Why would I tell you anything about me?" Raven snapped.

"I could ask you the same question." Ariana paused, "Besides, I already know everything about you. Trigon, Arella, Azarath, The Prophecy, _everything_."

Raven's eyes widened in shock as something shattered in the background.

"I know all you secrets… half-breed."

Raven's eyes doubled and turned red, "NOOO!" Raven charged Ariana through a portal of her own and they returned to the floor the Titans were at.

"Raven!" Starfire exclaimed.

"Dude! Uh, are you all right?" Beast Boy questioned.

The two women tumbled for a bit before Ariana spoke, "Enough!" Right on cue, a beam of black light shot Raven clear across the room.

"Raven!" Robin screamed in sympathy for his fallen comrade.

"Why you--!" Cyborg was suddenly filled with rage, the girl he'd grown so protective of was just brutally attacked by this thief! He wasn't taking that lying down.

Ariana spoke softly, menacingly, "Cyborg you should really control your rage. Before it controls you!" Ariana disappeared in a black a light. The floating light flew straight into Cyborg's head.

Cyborg began hearing her voice in his head. _Cyborg, Cyborg, Cyborg. Do you not realize? Why are you getting so worked up over Raven? She doesn't care about you, no one does. Face it; your teammates only want you because they need some muscle on the team. They're just using you and once you're obsolete to them, they'll just get rid of you. Sorry, but the truth hurts young Titan._

"No, No, NO! Get outta my head!" Cyborg clutched his skull and began stumbling about.

"Cyborg? Friend?" Starfire approached her friend with caution. Suddenly Cyborg froze in place. A black light left his robot eye and expanded into a portal. Starfire was sucked in. her screams lowered to nothing. Starfire was standing in a pitch-black realm.

"Hello? Someone is there?"

"Ah, sweet Starfire. Your kind naïveté is rather saddening."

"Who are you?" Starfire's eyes and hands began glowing green.

"Uh-oh, did make the wittle Starfire upset?" Ariana taunted. "Do you not see that your friends are taking advantage of you kind-heartedness? They don't care about you or your problems. Raven can't stand you, Cyborg and Beast Boy think you're an idiot, and Robin is waiting for your worth to expire. Then he can go running Blackfire."

Tears filled Starfire's eyes, "NOOO!" She began shooting eye-beams all around her in a blind rage.

"Yes…" Ariana responded. "Now girl, FLY!"

A portal reopened and Starfire was shot out, she was sent colliding with the pillar that once held the Orb of Skirah.

"Starfire!" Robin quickly ran to her side, Beast Boy joined him.

"Dude, what's going on?"

Robin didn't answer. The black light levitated in the middle of the room. It approached Beast Boy from behind and entered his head.

"Wow, it's empty in here." Beast Boy heard the voice echo in his head.

"Huh? Who's there?"

"That's not important boy. But look at yourself; you're a freak, a green freak. No body likes you. Nobody wants to be seen with you. Who would? They're planning on dropping you from the team anyway. You're useless!"

"NOO! Leave me alone!" Beast Boy began morphing into animals uncontrollably.

Robin looked to his friend, "Beast Boy! She got you too!"

Beast Boy suddenly dropped to the floor. Robin looked at all of his friends, "BB, Star, Cy, Rae. Where are you! Show yourself you coward!"

The woman materialized in front of Robin, the Orb of Skirah glowing in her hand. "How very rude. Did you talk to your mother with that mouth? Oh wait, of course not! Your parents are DEAD! And it's all your fault!"

Tears streamed from under Robin's mask, "You bitch! I swear I'll kill you!" Robin pulled out his Bo staff and charged Ariana.

Ariana waved her hand to form a black force field between them. "You mean like you killed your parents? Why didn't you run faster Robin? If you would have tried a little harder to get to the tent in time then maybe your parents would still be here! And then you wouldn't be stuck with these people who don't even care about you. Their only here because they pity your soul!"

Ariana raised her hand, a shot of black energy sent Robin flying across the room.

Ariana looked at the fallen Titans and looks of pain on their faces. "Pathetic, I'll leave you all to think about what I've said."

Ariana slid her blades into the sheaths at the sides of her legs. She held the Orb of Skirah high in the air. A black cloud began to circulate above her. I a flash of white light, Ariana vanished into the cloud, leaving the lifeless, tattered bodies of the Titans in a cold, dark, enigma.

_Mission Objective Status: Complete_


	2. The Aftermath pt 1

_Shattered Remains_

The Aftermath pt. 1

Raven

_No, no, no, no, . . . She knows nothing of my past. I-it was only my father; Trigon must have sent me a vision to manipulate my thoughts. He is just toying with me! _

But Raven knew that could not be. She had vanquished her father's soul with the help of her fellow Titans, long ago. The only logical explanation was that this woman _did _in fact know her. She _did _manipulate Raven's mental being. Raven knew she would be even more of a danger to the Titans now than ever before.

Raven's eyes cracked open. She remained where she lay, taking in her surroundings and allowing the blur in her vision to dissipate. Raven sat up, holding her head tight. She immediately sensed presences in the room. Raven looked to her crestfallen teammates and she found herself feeling . . . distant from them. She felt as if she could not trust them any more than she could trust the criminal who broke her spirit. She noticed that the Titans were also beginning to stir.

Soon, each Titan was fully conscious and aware of the others' presence. No words were exchanged; they merely swapped glances of pain and distance. Raven was the first to abandon the location. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos…" she whispered to herself. She was suddenly engulfed in a black aura and she vanished.

Almost as instantly as Raven fled from the scene of turmoil, had she reappeared in her humble abode. But Raven had no time to relax, she had to go into a deep meditation, she had to get answers.

Raven hastened to her nightstand and pulled out a box hidden beneath it. Raven opened the lid and pulled out a book, the Book of Azar to be exact, she flipped through the pages until she found what she was looking for. Raven used her powers to dump two kinds of powders in the shape of a pentagram on her bed. She lit candles around her room and incense hung from various places on her walls. For the finishing touch, she placed her mirror and the Book of Azar in her hands. Raven levitated above the center of the pentagram she began to chant,

---

"Evermore portals unlocked, demons released.

Forevermore reveal the answers, set me to peace.

Nevermore the evils of North, South, West, and East.

Nevermore!"

---

Raven's mirror began to glow black. Red eyes formed in the reflection. Suddenly, Raven realized something, _Trigon! _

Immediately a beam of red light discharged Raven's soul from her body, it then entered the mirror.

Raven found herself standing in the middle of the black abyss.

_He's back. _Raven concluded. Dusting it off, she continued strolling through the dreary environment. The atmosphere seemed, depressing. The skies seemed darker than usual.

Raven began feeling a presence, one she was familiar with, but not like her emotional parts. This presence was unwanted and it carried a piece of something, or rather some_one_… but not just anyone. Trigon. So many clues pointed to Trigon's revival, but Raven refused to believe it. She had defeated the King long ago, it would make no sense that he was alive again.

A screeching cry that sounded behind her interrupted Raven's thoughts. Raven about-faced to see a pack of four-eyed ravens, Trigon's trademark signal, representing that he and Raven were one. These ravens were the link between Raven and the evil destined to consume her, but she would be damned if theymanipulated her mental capacity anymore than it already had been.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!" Raven shot a wave of black energy at the pack of ravens. Once the dust cleared one raven remained, simply staring at Raven.

"The gem was born of evil's fire…" Raven moved closer to hear the bird more clearly, "…The gem shall be his portal. He comes to claim. He comes to sire. The end of all things mortal." Raven's eyes widened in utter shock, this bird just chanted the exact mantra Raven had when she first unleashed Trigon into the world.

Raven's head began to spin. Confusion overtook her. So many emotions: uncertainty, pain, grief, anger, vengeance. So many things brought her world crashing down around her.

Raven reverted her attention to the bird. Right on cue, the little raven vanished before she could even blink. All remained silent for a period. Again, she felt a presence, this time one closer to her. She stood and looked behind her to see her emotions approaching with grave expressions.

Intelligence led the group; her yellow cloak remained close to her body. "Raven," she began, "Trigon is…"

"Back? Yes, I know." Raven's voice remained monotone.

"You do?" Raven's book-smart form looked bewildered for once.

"Well, at first I had not even noticed it. Last night during a battle, I became enraged and adopted an extra set of eyes. The battle was so intense I guess it just never even occurred to me. Then when I prepared to enter my mind, I saw the eyes in the mirror. Not to mention to ravens have returned."

"I see." Intelligence stated, "This must be very difficult for you."

Raven offered a saddened smile, "When you vanquish the man who claims to be your father, yet tries to kill you in his attempt to take over the earth and he returns, it gets a little discouraging."

"Duly noted." She stated. "But Raven, there is more."

Raven's grave façade quickly turned downtrodden, "What else has happened?" Simultaneously, Raven's emotions opened their cloaks to reveal their bodies, slowly reaching complete opacity.

Raven literally bored through each and every one of them, "What… " Raven could not even form a coherent sentence.

"It appears that Trigon no longer needs you alive." Intelligence paused, and then resumed, "He has gained new powers. Your body can still be used as the portal… whether you are alive or dead. But he is trying to see if you could still be manipulated. So he has taken it upon himself to begin destroying your emotions. There had been new, more complex emotions forming here, but they cannot fully form with Trigon's current activity. And you desperately need these emotions, they are more compound. They possess more depth than we, your basic emotions have. The only fear I have is that whenever they do form, we will become futile, lost in the change of the current. But that is something for another time. Right now, we must worry about Trigon. He will take your soul. He will make you into a mindless drone. Unless you can stop him."

"How do I do that?" Raven asked, her spirit completely shattered.

"That, Raven, leads me to more unexpected news… your mother is here."

"A-Arella? Here? Why? How?" Raven was lost in confusion once more.

"There is much we need to discuss Raven." The soft voice came from behind the group of Raven's emotions.

The group parted to reveal, sure enough, Angela Roth, Arella, Raven's mother. "M-mother, you're here! But," Raven's head dropped, "_he _brought you didn't he?"

Arella took a deep breath, feeling the pain of Raven knowing the truth. "Come Raven, let us walk." Raven stood at Arella's side as they began to stroll away from the rest of the pack.

"My little Rachel," Arella caught herself; "is it okay if I call you that?"

Raven debated the question for a minute; no one else had ever called her by her _real_ name. "Yes, it is fine… mother."

How long it had been! Raven had not spoken to her mother in years, and now she was so vulnerable, she needed someone to talk to, someone who could listen and understand what she was going through. And right now, Arella was that person.

"So, mother how did you get here?"

Arella took a moment to gather her thoughts, "Trigon has taken over Azarath."

Raven could not believe this, "But, how is it even possible for Trigon to _get_ to Azarath?"

"Well… he, had a little help." Arella paused, preparing to tell Raven this was not so simple, "The Disciples of the Temple of Azarath had been acted strangely as of late. They began performing odd rituals and prayers." Arella paused, organizing her thoughts, "So, of course, I was rather skeptical when they asked me to join them in one of their rituals for… spiritual assistance. They claimed that they needed the purity of my soul to recite a chant and complete their ritual. But what did not know was that this was a ritual to revive Juris, the man who delivered you and then attempted to banish you to Limbo. But you were too powerful for him and you killed him before he could even chant the spell."

"Wait, I, _killed_ a man? And you never told me! How could you! I've been living my life trying to do good, to be a good person in an attempt to make up for the Prophecy I was destined to fulfill!"

"Rachel, please! Listen to me," Arella stood in front of her daughter and placed a firm grip on her shoulders, "so much was happening at the time. I gave birth to the child I received as a result of making love with an evil demon. How could I tell you what you did? Every time I saw you, I saw Trigon. Every time I saw you; I was reminded of the day I lost my life. Every time I saw you, I saw myself as a child. Tell me, how was I supposed to let you know Rae! Tell me!" Tears began to well up in Arella's eyes.

Raven approached her mother and wrapped her arms around her, taking away

some of the pain, "I-I'm so sorry, I had no idea mother. It's just that so much has happened in the last twenty-four hours. I just can't take it anymore. Would you, like to finish the story?"

Arella released a sigh, "Yes. So anyway, I had gone to the temple with the disciples. They began chanting these strange mantras. They chanted so fast that, by the time I realized what they were saying, it was too late. A large portal opened and Juris stepped out in his red hooded robe. I suddenly went numb; I could not believe what was happening. I darted for the exit, but a strange power stopped me. Juris had trapped me in a red aura and dragged back, dropping me on the floor in front of him. Before I could protest, Juris tore the clothing off of my back. He then cut a pentagram into my back and allowed the blood to run down off of me. I laughed as I screamed out in pain. After this, The Disciples dumped three kinds of mystic powders into the shape of a pentagram around my bleeding body. Once the settings were complete, candles lit and all, The Disciples lit the powders on fire. The blaze quickly spread around me and I was trapped. Juris then opened his own Book of Azar and began to chant,

'This wench shall bring the evil to fruition.

Bloodied back and tattered soul.

He comes to reap his wrath.

With the prophecy written anew,

The portal shall suffer destruction. '

The earth beneath me began to shake and crack. Before I knew it, Trigon emerged from the ground underneath me. He held me in the palm of his hand, 'Hello, my wife.' He said. I merely snarled at him, I felt so… dead in his grasp. 'You dare not speak to your own husband? Very well then.' Having said that, Trigon banished to the depths of your mind and now I am here."

Raven, speechless, just stared at her mother, not knowing what to say or do. The woman who did all that she could to help Raven when she was a child, and now, Arella was in so much pain and it was up to Raven to stop her father and unleash peace up Azarath and all whom Trigon has made suffer.

Raven was suddenly overcome with an intense determination, "How do I defeat him?"

"When the hour is upon us, we will travel to Azarath. There we must complete the Temple's Sphere of Trials, then we must move on to defeat Juris and his minions. After that, you are to enter Trigon's realm in order to defeat him."

Raven took notice of Arella's words in the last sentence, "Don't you mean _we?_"

"No Rachel, I do not. Defeating Trigon is something that you must do on your own. Unlike the first time you destroyed him, your friends cannot be there to help you, nor can I. This is _your _story, my daughter. Only you can be there at the end. You must fulfill this task alone so that Trigon will be eternally banished."

"I understand mother. But, what can I do until then?"

"You must learn to control your raging emotions. But you do not do this by hiding them or with intense meditation. In order to gain control of your emotions, you must _feel _your emotions. Only when you begin coping with your emotions and feeling them to their fullest extent can you begin controlling them."

Raven merely stared at her mother, understanding but not wanting to believe all these things that she said.

"And I do not mean just a smile here and there. You must even feel the emotions you fear like anger, fear, and love."

Raven looked up at this, "Love?"

Arella smiled, "Yes Rachel, love. In fact, love is one of the most important emotions for you to feel. Love brings forth other emotions such as pain, confusion, timidity, and self-consciousness. It is basic psychological reason." Arella still noticed how unsure Raven was, she placed a hand on her daughter's cheek, "Never worry Rachel, somewhere out there is a boy who will make all your dreams come true and accept you for all you are and he will do whatever it takes to support you through your time of need and to protect you. Somewhere there is love for you. Just keep your head up high and keep confident. Rachel, I love you so much and I believe in you." Arella looked toward where they had come from, "And keep your emotions burning strong, _all_ of them. As long as you keep feeling, Trigon cannot destroy them."

"I understand mother."

"Now go Rachel. I will be here whenever you need me."

Raven hugged her mother one last time before she left, "I love you mother."

"I love you too Rachel."

Suddenly, a rumbling of the earth around her brought her attention to whatever was coming toward her. Raven turned to be met with a group of flame demons identical to the ones that Trigon issued to Slade as his army. "Mother, leave!"

Arella nodded, "Be careful Rachel."

Once Arella had fled from the scene, Raven turned back to the group of fire demons coming her way.

"I cannot waste my time with you all!" Raven levitated into the air, her emotions running rampant, "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!" The ground beneath the demons suddenly opened, blaze broke free of the cracked land. The demons fell into the fiery pit.

But before it closed, Raven saw two pairs of glowing red eyes flash. Then she heard a voice, Trigon's, "The gem was born of evil's fire. The gem shall be his portal. He comes to claim. He comes to sire. The end of all things mortal!"

Raven formed another pair of red glowing eyes again. She dropped to the land, clutching her skull relentlessly. "Get… out of… my… head!"

"You cannot hide and you cannot defeat me little girl. It is time to stop running from you destiny. One way or another, sooner or later, I _will _have you… whether you be dead or alive."

Raven blocked her father out of her thoughts as she chanted, "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos…" she whispered to herself. A black portal opened over her head and sucked her in. The portal reopened over her bed and Raven fell on it. "No… you cannot take me…not then, not now, not ever."

Raven shut her eyes for a moment, attempting to focus on what Arella had told her. The roar of a vehicle outside caught her attention. Raven moved to her window and pulled back her curtain slightly to see Robin getting off of his bike.

Raven remembered her mother's words so very clearly, _"…Love is one of the most important emotions for you to feel."_

"Yeah… I guess it is."


	3. The Aftermath pt 2

_Shattered Remains_

The Aftermath pt. 2

Cyborg

_She's right… I am just the powerful one here… nothing more. I should leave before any confrontation occurs. Maybe I should return to the Titans East…Bumblebee might be waiting for me—but why would they be any different? All I did for them was fix up their Tower, who knows; maybe they're exactly the same._

Cyborg heard nothing. His head was spinning violently. He opened his human eye and scanned the room from his current position. Cyborg could hear the movement of other people in the room. He sat up and gave the other Titans cold looks when they made eye contact. Raven was the first the leave, no surprise there, she was always quick to get back to her dark room.

Cyborg would not waste time sitting around these people. He slowly rose to his feet and headed for the exit. When no words were heard, he was grateful that he would not have to speak to the other Titans right now, maybe ever.

Once out of the room, Cyborg began to ascend to flight of stairs, the repetition of the steps reminded him of how many times the other Titans must have lied to him. He remembered one conversation in particular, one that he had with Starfire,

"_For your thoughts I will pay six grubfars._"

_The statement had made Cyborg chuckle inside, "If that's your way of asking how I am, then I'm alright."_

_She had approached him, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "I did not know you before you were Cyborg… so, to me, you are normal."_

That single act of compassion made Cyborg think that everything would be all right. And it was the first time he looked at Star as more than a sister or his best friend's love interest.

But now, all that was shot. Cyborg had to move on and stop caring. It was best for him to get away from the lies anyway, right? But the pain in his heart was a constant reminder of the team and all they had been through together. From fixing the T-Car with Raven, playing video games with Beast Boy, sparring with Robin, and… Cyborg realized that he had spent so much time connecting with all of the Titans, except Starfire.

_Well, it's useless to worry about it now. _He thought.

Cyborg soon found himself at the top of the staircase. He tried to remember the way they had entered the building, but his memory was fogged. He continued down the hall toward its end. As Cyborg closed in on a lobby, he noticed blood on the marble tile. _What the--?_ Cyborg followed the trail of blood and he came upon a large metal door, sucking up all of his fears, he punched the door down, preparing to attack anyone who was in the room. He found that, while there were people in the room, they were all dead.

"Oh my…" Cyborg's words trailed off. As he scanned the four dead bodies, realization hit him. _That bitch…_Cyborg grasped the likely possibility that the woman who attacked each of the Titans also killed these security guards; they must have gotten in her way.

Cyborg decided that he had spent enough time there, he pressed on. He made a sharp right and continued down the hall, racking his mind for any recollection of their earlier entrance. Cyborg soon found himself in the main lobby of Wayne Enterprises. _Continue forward, or left? _Cyborg decided to take the left. He walked down the corridor and found himself approaching a dead end. Before he turned to go back the other way, he noticed a door cracked open. _Did we come through here? _It made sense, and if they did not come through the door, then it had to be that woman, either way, it meant an exit.

Cyborg pushed the door open to be met with a long staircase and an extremely cold and massive room.

He pressed on down the flight of stairs. Cyborg reached the bottom and began to cross the floor to the staircase at the opposite side of the room. A heaping pile of metal on the ground caught his attention. _Damn…we definitely didn't come this way. I would have remembered destroyin' a robot that big. That chick must be something else._

After inspecting the machine, Cyborg continued across the room and up the next flight of stairs.

Once he reached the top, Cyborg pushed open a door directly above the last few steps. He pulled himself up and out, into the pounding rain. Before Cyborg could take a step, he saw a dead body to his right; he gagged at the sight of the gruesome victim. He looked down the alley, four more lifeless bodies. Cyborg did not even bother with the one at the end. He stepped over another male victim. He then moved to the other two, a woman… a _pregnant _woman and her infant son. They both appeared dead. Cyborg could not help but notice that the woman was late into her pregnant, she looked as if she would have been going into labor any day now. Cyborg shed a tear for the two innocents.

He turned to walk away when her heard a faint cry, "Help…" Cyborg quickly turned to see the woman desperately reaching for him, "…my…baby…deliver… so I may… die."

Cyborg was speechless; he thought that this woman was dead. Now here she was, pleading that he delivers her baby. Cyborg was the bringer of her last dying wish. He hesitated at first, and then he looked into the eyes of this woman. Her eyes were filled with pain, sorrow, desperation, and fear.

_As if I have a choice. I'd burn in hell if I didn't do this. _"Y-yes, I will deliver your baby ma'am. But, what is your name?"

The woman's eyes filled with joy, she began to cry out of happiness, "Thank you, so much… my name… is… Tatiana. My son here, his name was Jared." Tatiana paused to catch her breath, "These men… they killed my son, and nearly killed me… but… a strange woman… a ninja… came… and she killed them all… to protect me from further torment. A true saint."

Then it hit Cyborg. _The woman! Was she really evil or merely a messenger? _

A scream of agony coming from the woman tore Cyborg from his thoughts. _Okay, it's time to put all those hours of watching ER to work. _"Alright Tatiana, you need to breathe deep breaths and try to remain as calm as possible." The woman complied.

Cyborg moved to kneel over the body of this strong woman. Luckily, she was already wearing a skirt, so Cyborg would not have to hassle with the awkwardness of taking off her pants. However, there was still the matter of the undergarments. Cyborg quickly reached up the woman's skirt to slide her panties down. A deep red blush spread across Cyborg's face in embarrassment, but he thought better to ignore it.

"Okay Tatiana, I need you to raise your legs in the air, but keep them bent." Again, she listened. Cyborg tried to maintain his cool. To remain calm and professional, and he actually did an exceptional job. Cyborg took his position between the raised legs of this woman, "Alright, the baby is crowning. I'm going to need you to push as hard as you can."

This was the last stretch, Tatiana grunted, trying to force the life out of her. Ironically, that's exactly what happened. Tatiana gave one final push and the baby came out and into Cyborg's arms. He checked the baby for reproductive organs. A girl. He then held the baby upside down; amniotic fluid fell from the baby's mouth. Cries quickly followed.

"Tatiana, it's a beautiful baby girl." Cyborg moved to give Tatiana the chance to hold her newborn baby, but when Cyborg went to give her to Tatiana, he realized that she was no longer breathing. Cyborg desperately checked her pulse. Nothing. He knew Tatiana was dead, and he had known that she would die, but Cyborg hoped that she would have at least had the chance to hold her baby.

Cyborg began to sob; this depressing event brought his emotional status down with the pouring rain. He quickly remembered the young child in his arms, without thinking, Cyborg took it upon himself to serve as the child's parental figure. All of his stress about the team had been dissolved just as the rain dissolves the soil; this new baby took all of his attention and energy now.

Cyborg stood and hurried to the front of Wayne Enterprises to find the T-Car parked out front. Doing his best to shield the child, Cyborg went into the trunk of his car and pulled out three towels. After closing the trunk, Cyborg jogged to the driver side of his car, keeping the towels and the baby dry. Once he shut the door, Cyborg wrapped the baby safely in the towels to keep her warm. He then started the car and drove off into the city.

As he drove through the empty Gotham streets, Cyborg noticed in the distance that Jump City was quickly coming into view. He would have to find a twenty-four hour store to find clothes and food for the baby. _Food! _Cyborg began to panic, knowing that newborn babies need to be breast fed in order to gain vital nutrients and stay healthy, Cyborg wondered what would happen to this newly born girl. After making a right on a busy street, Cyborg's car screeched to a halt. Ternion stood in front of Cyborg. _Of all the nights…_

_I thought we got rid of this damned trio a long time ago! _Cyborg remembered back to their battles with Slade and Terra. The genetically combined Overload, Plasmus, and Cinderblock proved to be a troublesome foe, and now Cyborg was to fight this menace alone and with a newborn baby in his car.

Cyborg hid the baby in the backseat of the T-Car, "Stay quiet, I'll be right back." Cyborg got out of the car and approached Ternion. "I thought we got rid of you, you huge piece of shit! Well, you picked the wrong night to mess with Cyborg!"

Cyborg began charging his sonic cannon; he aimed at the beast towering before him. He let the cannon blast a hole right through the monster, but Plasmus' ooze covered the hole. Ternion decided to counter with another attack. A chunk of Cinderblock was covered in Plasmus. To top it off, Overload gave it an electrical charge. Ternion raised the electrified orb in the air, Cyborg made sure to move a safe distance away from the car, so that the baby wouldn't be harmed.

Ternion let out a roar, and sent the orb flying. The orb skidded over the ground, collecting concrete. Cyborg knew there was no way he could get out of the way in time, he braced for impact, wondering if he would survive the blow. When the impact did come, it shocked Cyborg… because it came from his side. Cyborg opened his eyes to find himself in the air; he looked at the force holding him up. It was Starfire, a grave expression spread across her face.

"Star! You saved me!"

"Do not waste time thanking me. Let us defeat the Ternion." Star had obviously been affected by the mental manipulation of the woman, but Cyborg had bigger things to worry about right now… bigger, _uglier, _things.

Cyborg watched as Starfire flew at Ternion, launching star bolts and eye beams at the giant. Cyborg soon joined in as well, blasting his sonic cannon around Ternion.

For a while they fought. Once Ternion grew sick of them, he swatted Starfire at a parked car. Cyborg was overcome with fear for his teammate, "Starfire!" Cyborg darted for her; he dove over the hood of the car. His arms were outstretched, Starfire landed hard in his grasp, the two of them rolled with an impact.

Cyborg and Starfire sat up in their places, "You… saved me…"

Cyborg smirked at Starfire, "Don't mention it." They kept their gazes locked on one another for a moment. A roar from Ternion tore them from each other to him, "Let's show this thing who's _really_ in charge! How 'bout the ol' Solar Cannon?"

Starfire merely nodded, still lost in Cyborg's arms. The Solar Cannon was a combined attack Cyborg and Starfire created long ago. The solar power of her star bolts combined with the power of his sonic cannon created great force.

Cyborg and Starfire stood out in the middle of the battle zone; each of them had their weapons charged.

Cyborg started a countdown, "Three…"

"…Two…" Starfire continued.

"…One!" they each yelled at the same time. In a flash, Cyborg's sonic cannon and Starfire's star bolts launched at Ternion. Together, they formed a series of white flashes, which sent the beast into oblivion. It was over.

"Way to go Star." Cyborg said to her.

Starfire did not respond.

"Star? You okay?"

Starfire looked to her cybernetic teammate with glassy eyes, "Cyborg, would you ever… abandon me because I do not fully understand earth's customs?"

"Star, you know me better than that. I promise. Besides, you're actually smarted than a lot of people I know."

Starfire's eyed filled with joy, she leapt at Cyborg with a loving hug, "I am so glad that I can trust you, friend Cyborg."

Cyborg caught sight of the T-Car, "Star, there's uh… something I need to show you."

Starfire nodded and followed Cyborg to the T-Car. Cyborg got into the driver's seat, signaling for Starfire to come around to the passenger seat. Starfire walked around and got in on the passenger side, "What is it Cyborg?"

Cyborg reached to the back seat a picked up the bundle of towels, he checked the baby before handing her to Starfire.

Starfire gasped, "Cyborg! You are, the baby mama?"

Cyborg jumped, "No! After I left Wayne Enterprises, I found myself in an alley. I found a pregnant woman on the verge of death, she had been beaten and her infant son was already killed. Her last dying wish was for me to deliver her baby. I couldn't just leave her, so I delivered her. But the woman died in labor. She didn't even have the chance to see her newborn."

"Cyborg, you truly have the, compassion, but are you to care for this child on your own?"

Cyborg looked to his red-headed teammate, "Well, I could use some help." He smiled at the fair-skinned girl.

"Oh, I would love to care for a child so cute!" Starfire began to cuddle the child as Cyborg started up the car and drove off. "So I will be her mother, and you the father?"

The robotic teen beamed, he could not explain it, but Starfire's question made him glow, "Yeah, that's exactly right."

Starfire too realized something hidden in her previous statement, "So, does that make us…?"

"Let's discuss that later."

As they drove through Jump City, Starfire talked with the child, "Oh, you are cuter than a Yipper of Goro! And we get home, I have a little playmate for you! His name is Silkie!"

As Starfire continued to make the baby giggle, Cyborg listened in awe. The beautiful alien to his right holding the baby he had saved. He hoped that they could one day become a real family.

A tear formed in Cyborg's biological eye. He had always loved children, but, due to the accident, he never thought he would be able to have a child, not to mention, he never dreamed he would find love, but now here they both were. All that Cyborg wanted sat happily in the passenger seat of his car. But, would Starfire return his feelings? Or would she leave him and the baby for Robin?

Cyborg would wait; he would allow himself to form a bond with Starfire, through the child.

"Hey Star?"

The Tameranian was pulled from her laughing and tickling with the baby, "Yes Cyborg?"

"We'll probably need to keep this whole thing from the Titans. A baby wouldn't exactly go over well with Robin or Raven, and Lord knows what Beast Boy would try to teach her."

Starfire giggled at Cyborg's comment about Beast Boy. And the short laugh seemed to occur in slow motion, "Of course." Cyborg had always loved to see Starfire's beautiful smile and serene giggle. More importantly, he loved being the reason she smiled or laughed.

Cyborg felt attached the girl. These sudden feelings confused and excited Cyborg, he had a warm sensation in his chest when she was around him, and he felt that when she was around, he could—a piercing cry interrupted his train of thought.

"It appears that the baby is hungry." Starfire said.

"Should we go to the twenty-four hour market?" Cyborg asked, preparing to turn around.

"No, I have some Zorka berries for her." Starfire began to hush the baby, laying her over her shoulder and patting her back, soothing the child. Soon the baby fell fast asleep, but soon she would wake once more, crying for food.

Titans Tower soon came into view. They rode up on the shore. Cyborg pressed a few buttons on the dashboard, and a metal platform broke through the shoreline, allowing the T-Car passage across the thrashing waters.

Soon the two Titans found themselves pulling into the garage of Titans Tower. They simply sat in the car for a moment.

Cyborg looked to Starfire, who returned his gaze with her own.

Cyborg thought to plant a kiss on Starfire's lips, but he thought better of it. He claimed that he should not rush into things, but deep down, he was so very nervous. The thought of rejection from the girl was heart crushing.

"So, what is our daughter's name going to be?" Starfire asked, blushing red.

_Our _daughter. Cyborg loved how that sounded, especially when Star said it. The cluelessness of the alien was truly endearing.

"Her name will be… Tatiana."


	4. The Aftermath pt 3

_Shattered Remains_

The Aftermath pt. 3

Starfire

_The words, they are not true. Are they? Could my friends of so long really wish to get rid of me once I am no longer of use? Then my path is clear, I must leave here to avoid suffering emotional torment._

Starfire slowly elevated her eyelids to be met with a dark room. She could here the movement of others in her presence.

Starfire sat up in her place, holding her head in pain. Once the fog in her vision faded, she scanned the room. She had gained consciousness just in time to witness Raven abandoning the room through a black portal.

Cyborg stood, drawing her attention toward him. She watched the cybernetic teen leave without so much as a word. To her left, Starfire saw the still unconscious Beast Boy. The look of pain on his caused a pang of hurt to occur in Starfire's heart.

She then looked to the center of the room to see the lifeless body of Robin, her leader, and her love interest. How she longed to capture his heart just as he had captured hers.

But ever since Raven's battle with Trigon, Robin had grown distant from Starfire and fonder of Raven. Starfire hated to admit it, but she was jealous of her friend. Starfire had even shamed herself by saying that Raven shouldn't be around Robin since she never feels emotions anyway.

Starfire, however, could not bring herself to look at Robin the same way she did before. She could not grasp her love for him anymore.

_What has happened to me? Just a few earth hours ago, my heart would flutter at the mere sight of him. Now I find myself distant from him. Have I… lost my love for Robin?_

Starfire decide to go ahead and leave before Beast Boy and Robin regained consciousness. She did not bother trying to fly; her unbridled joy was non-existent at the moment.

Starfire soon found that walking gave her the opportunity to think.

_What has… happened to me? Am I not the same person I was before? Am I not still Starfire? I… do not feel like Starfire. Is this the same confusion Raven goes through? _

_I am, however, feel the righteous fury. Do my friends truly not care for me? After all, we have been through so much together, both good times and bad._

Starfire's confusion only grew as she reached the top of a staircase. Her world was in full flux. So much pain, torment. Her righteous fury reached its peek. _Beast Boy, Cyborg, Raven, Robin! What have you done to me! Have you all have betrayed me? _

As Starfire reached the lobby of Wayne Enterprises she was startled by glass shattering from the ceiling. Rain immediately entered the room from the large hole in the ceiling. She shielded herself from the falling glass.

Once all was clear, Starfire looked up, raindrops hitting her face. The rain and the clouds, which brought the rain, clouded her vision.

Due to her impaired vision, Starfire never saw the figure flying toward her. An intense punch to the abdomen sent Starfire flying across the sopping wet room. She quickly recuperated and attempted to decipher the figure crossing the floor toward her.

_My vision must be failing! It cannot be! She's not…!_

"Hello sister." Blackfire towered over Starfire's fallen body. When Starfire did not respond, Blackfire continued. "What's the matter? Surprised to see me?" Again, Starfire just stared. "Answer me!" Blackfire sent lavender glowing star bolts at her.

Upon impact, Starfire slid across the floor. She shut her eyes, trying to keep her tears from creeping through. The sound of her sister's footsteps approaching her seemed to have been magnified by two.

"What… are you doing here?" Starfire staggered to her feet. "I received news of your death long ago!"

Blackfire smirked at her sister. "While it is true that I was to be executed for my treason, I had a little help escaping."

Starfire swung her hand at her sister. Grabbing onto her top, Starfire veered Blackfire to the wall her. "Who assisted you?" She asked, eyes glowing green.

In a flash of violet light, Starfire was shot across the floor. "He is the man I have vowed my life and love to! He is my one true love! He is the only man who could ever give me all that I wanted!"

Starfire struggled to stand. "And what, may I ask, is that?"

Blackfire smiled to herself. "He's given me an equal. He is _my_ equal… and more. And you are undeserving of any love such as we share."

"Lies!" Starfire allowed her tears to run freely. "You are lying! I do deserve love!"

"With who? Robin? Sister that ship has sailed. Stop hiding from the truth Kory! You will live and die _alone_! Your kind-heartedness goes unnoticed by all. What more are you than a pretty face? You are _nothing_!"

Starfire dropped to the floor, clutching her skull in such pain.

_No! Leave me!_

Blackfire strolled to meet her sister on the floor.

"Get _away_ from me…" Starfire ordered. Blackfire did no such thing. "Now!" Starfire sent a green star bolt at her sister.

Blackfire was launched across the marble tile.

Now it was Starfire'sturn. Starfire spoke as she moved to her sister. "Do you see sister? Do you see what you have done to me! My misery is _your_ fault! How you could do this to your own sister, I will never know."

"No Kory! You brought this upon yourself." Blackfire stood before her younger sister. "You should have known that you could never be accepted on Earth! But what did you do? You became attached to the Titans; you fell in love with your leader. Your _innocent mistakes_ brought pain upon your tattered soul. You have disgraced our families name with you ignorance."

_She is correct. I have brought shame upon everything our parents stood for. It is time for me to leave the Titans in order to find my true calling._

"But," Blackfire began. "You can still redeem yourself sister."

Starfire looked to her elder sister with tear-stricken cheeks. "H-how? What must I do?"

Blackfire offered a hand. "Join me. Join my love and I in our conquest for ultimate power."

Starfire weighed her options, which, right now, were minimal. She looked from her sister's eyes to the hand she offered. Starfire dropped her head in defeat; she placed her hand in her sister's palm.

Blackfire looked at the closed eyes of her sister, smirking at her foolishness. "You made the r--…"

Suddenly Starfire's eyes shot open, glowing a fierce green. Starfire tugged back and launched her sister through the shattered roof of the building.

Feeling a surge from the joy of her deception, Starfire flew up after her sister. She landed on the roof to see her sister staggering to her feet.

"Sister, you have made a dire mistake." Blackfire's eyes began to glow. "Now, I shall take care of you!"

Blackfire raised a hand toward her sister. It began to surge with electricity. She pulled her arm back, then pushed it forward. A large star beam hurdled to Starfire. The beam made impact.

Blackfire waited for the dust to clear. "No. It is you who has made the dire mistake." Blackfire looked up to see Starfire floated in the air and charging up a star beam of her own. "You made the mistake of underestimating me!"

Starfire shot her star beam directly at Blackfire.

When the dust cleared, Starfire saw that her sister was no longer in the spot she previously stood in.

_Where--?_

"Until next we meet sister!" Starfire looked up toward the direction the voice had come from. There she saw Blackfire in the air. She then took off in the distance.

Starfire landed softly on the ground. She decided that it was best not to think about Blackfire. She was no longer a threat… for the moment. Instead, she took off, flying toward Jump City.

Perhaps I will be…okay. Should I really take such drastic measures and abandon the rest of the Titans? Perhaps I should give them the doubt of benefits.

Starfire's thoughts were cut short when she noticed Ternion battling someone. She looked closer. Cyborg!

At first, Starfire thought she should just leave. She really did not wish to interact with any of the Titans just yet. But she thought better of it when she noticed Ternion charging up a massive attack.

Starfire flew down, gaining speed as she came closer to Cyborg. But Ternion's attack also came closer to Cyborg.

Just a mere few feet away from Cyborg, Starfire pushed out her last bit of speed to latch onto Cyborg's side just in time.

Starfire felt the gush of the attack just as she grabbed onto him.

Cyborg opened his eyes, frantically scanning his surroundings. Realization hit him and he turned to look at Starfire.

_Why does he look at me like that?_

"Star! You saved me!"

"Do not waste time thanking me. Let us defeat the Ternion." Starfire was surprised at the harshness of her words. She vaguely reminded herself of Raven just then.

Starfire dropped Cyborg to the ground so that he could land and begin his own assault on the beast.

Once she was back in the air, Starfire flew toward Ternion, launching star bolts and eye beams at the giant. Cyborg soon joined in as well, blasting his sonic cannon around Ternion.

For a while they fought. Once Ternion grew sick of them, he swatted Starfire at a parked car. The hit knocked the wind out of Starfire.

She fell toward the ground, unaware of what was going on. A great impact and series of revolutions; startled her.

Starfire opened her eyes slowly. The pain in her head had returned as well.

_Ugh. _She looked around herself to find Cyborg beneath her. She stood and helped him up.

"You… saved me…"

Maybe it was the fact that she thought that all had given up on her. Maybe it was the fact that she desperately needed someone to care about her, but this one act of kindness made Starfire feel so much more different than all of the times Robin had saved her.

Robin had come to Starfire's so many times, but, in his case, it was expected. Starfire felt that Robin would be there to catch her when she fell. But, with Cyborg, this was all so unexpected. When she had thought the world had given up on her, Cyborg came to her rescue, thus restoring her faith that she has a purpose and she was cared for.

He merely winked at Starfire, "Don't mention it." Starfire held her gaze with Cyborg. Some strange feeling kept her from looking away. She quickly became lost in the moment. The warmth conveying from him to her was truly endearing.

A roar from Ternion tore their gazes from each other to him, "Let's show this thing who's _really_ in charge! How 'bout the ol' Solar Cannon?"

The Solar Cannon was a combined attack Cyborg and Starfire created long ago. The solar energy of her star bolts combined with the booming power of his sonic cannon created great force.

Starfire nodded, still lost in Cyborg's eye.

_What is this? I found myself lost in his human eye... even the mechanical one seemed to convey faint senses of warmth. I… never wanted to look away. Could I be…?_

Cyborg and Starfire moved out to the middle of the battle zone; each of them held their attacks fully charged.

Cyborg started a countdown, "Three…"

"…Two…" Starfire continued.

"…One!" They each yelled at the same time. In a flash, Cyborg's sonic cannon and Starfire's star bolts launched at Ternion. Together, they formed a series of white flashes, which sent the beast into oblivion. It was over.

"Way to go Star." Cyborg said to her.

Starfire did not respond. She could not even speak when she was with Cyborg. Her nerves on edge, too aware that she may say something she may regret.

"Star? You okay?"

Starfire looked to her cybernetic teammate with glassy eyes.

_But what if he does not care for me? What if he is like the woman said? I… cannot endure such pain._

Starfire decided that the only way to find out was to ask. "Cyborg, would you ever… abandon me because I do not fully understand earth's customs?"

She noticed the hurt in his eyes. "Star, you know me better than that. I would never do something like that to you. I promise. Besides, you're actually smarter than a lot of people I know."

Starfire's eyed filled with joy, she leapt at Cyborg with a loving hug.

This hug… it feels so right. Here in his arms, I am not sure how, but he feels so much better than Robin ever did.

"I am so glad that I can trust you, friend Cyborg."

Starfire still held onto Cyborg for dear life. He then broke the hug, a grave expression on his face. "Star, there's uh… something I need to show you."

Starfire nodded and followed Cyborg to the T-Car. The distance between their position and distance to T-Car seemed like an eternity. She desperately wondered what he had to show her.

Cyborg got into the driver's seat, signaling for Starfire to come around to the passenger seat. Starfire walked around and got in on the passenger side, "What is it Cyborg?"

Starfire racked her mind for possibilities, worried about what it might be that she would see. What was so important?

Cyborg reached to the back seat a picked up the bundle of towels, he handed it to Starfire.

With a heavy heart, she lifted the cloth to see a baby. Starfire's eyes filled with awe. This tiny earthling in her hands brought the widest smile from Starfire.

Starfire looked to her friend. "Cyborg! You are, the baby mama?"

Cyborg jumped, "No! After I left Wayne Enterprises, I found myself in an alley. I found a pregnant woman on the verge of death, she had been beaten and her infant son was already killed. Her last dying wish was for me to deliver her baby. I couldn't just leave her, so I delivered her. But the woman died in labor. She didn't even have the chance to see her newborn."

Starfire's felt warm and safe with Cyborg now. His acts of concern for this woman were truly endearing.

"Cyborg, you truly have the, compassion."

Realization hit Starfire. "But are you to care for this child on your own?"

Cyborg looked to Starfire, "Well, I could use some help." He smiled at the fair-skinned girl.

Starfire's heart filled with joy, so happy that Cyborg wished to have her at his side to help him raise this child.

"Oh, I would love to care for a child so cute!" Starfire began to cuddle the child as Cyborg started up the car and drove off.

Starfire had, at least, watched a nice amount of television during her time on Earth. And this activity taught her how to get answers from a man.

"So I will be her mother, and you the father?" She asked sweetly.

Starfire took notice of smile on his face. She noticed how his face lit up at hearing her question.

"Yeah, that's exactly right."

Starfire began to wonder. She needed more answers.

"So, does that make us…?"

She took note of how quick Cyborg was took cut her off. "Let's discuss that later."

As they drove through Jump City, Starfire talked with the child, "Oh, you are cuter than a Yipper of Goro! And we get home; I have a little playmate for you! His name is Silkie!"

_This young earthling could possibly be the bond between Cyborg and I. This child could be what brings us together, as one. And she smells so sweet. Who knew such joy could be conveyed through one so small?_

Starfire could not help but begin to think of her and Cyborg raising this child together. Cyborg and the child could teach Starfire so very much, and she could teach her child as well.

A tear caught in Starfire's eye. The child obviously took notice; she reached up to touch Starfire's tear-stricken cheek. This simple act of observation hit the alien's heart in ways that no one else ever had.

Starfire began to think. She knew she would have to bury old feelings for Robin. Of course… she would have to get over him first.

Even though Starfire felt distant from the boy wonder earlier, she knew she was not yet over him. But she'd be willing to give up anything for this baby and Cyborg.

It was odd, but Starfire established an immediate connection with the child. She felt that this child made her forget all of her troubles. This child was the everlasting force keeping her grounded to the earth.

Cyborg's voice pulled Starfire from her thoughts. "Hey Star?"

"Yes Cyborg?"

"We'll probably need to keep this whole thing from the Titans. A baby wouldn't exactly go over well with Robin or Raven, and Lord knows what Beast Boy would try to teach her."

She knew that keeping things a secret would only make things more interesting. She also realized that they would, of course, be returning to stay at the tower. She would never want to raise the child in any other place.

Starfire giggled at Cyborg's comment about Beast Boy. "Of course."

Starfire loved it when Cyborg made her laugh. She always knew that if anyone could take her away from a pain situation, it would be him, and now… this baby.

A piercing cry interrupted Starfire's train of thought.

"It appears that the baby is hungry." Starfire said.

"Should we go to the twenty-four hour market?" Cyborg asked, preparing to turn around.

"No, I have some Zorka berries for her." Starfire began to hush the baby, laying her over her shoulder and patting her back, soothing the child. Soon the baby fell fast asleep, but soon she would wake once more, crying for food.

_This child is so warm, sleeping in my arms. I never want to let go._

Titans Tower soon came into view.

_We are almost home._

Home. Titans Tower was her home. She had lived all of her life on Earth in that Tower, it is where she met life-long friends and learned many things.

They rode up on the shore. Cyborg pressed a few buttons on the dashboard, and a metal platform broke through the shoreline, allowing the T-Car passage across the thrashing waters.

Soon the two Titans found themselves pulling into the garage of Titans Tower. They simply sat in the car for a moment.

Cyborg looked to Starfire, who returned his gaze with her own. She never wished to look away. Again she was lost in his eyes.

Oh how she wished for a kiss from him. Just one kiss… but Starfire thought better to not rush into a relationship.

"So, what is our daughter's name going to be?" She asked, blushing red.

"Her name will be… Tatiana."

_Tatiana. What a beautiful name._

The two Titans got out of the car and crept up to their rooms, being sure not to alert any of the Titans that may be residing there at the moment.

Starfire walked toward her room and noticed that Cyborg had decided to walk her there.

All along the way she felt a sense of nervousness.

She was relieved when they reached her bedroom door.

"Um, I'll keep Tatiana tonight?" Starfire asked, her heart beating faster by the minute.

Cyborg smiled at her. "Yeah. There's uh… too many hazard in my room."

"Well, good night." Starfire stepped back into her room and shut the door. In the last crack of the hall, she noticed Cyborg's shutdown façade.

Starfire tried to brush it off. She laid Tatiana in a cradle with Silkie. She kissed them both on the forehead.

_My babies._

Starfire laid down on her bed, still thinking of Cyborg. In a surge of energy, Starfire jumped off of her bed and ran to the door, it swung open to reveal a shocked Cyborg. Starfire jumped into his arms and planted a kiss on his lips. His scent wafted through her nostrils. The kiss seemed to last forever, but when she broke it off, she realized it had been too soon.

Starfire wished for the kiss to last longer, but, after seeing his expression, she realized it was worth it. She had left him breathless and speechless.

She smiled and shut her door.

The alien crossed her room and got into her bed, pulling the covers over her body. Starfire fell fast asleep.

And she was content.


	5. The Aftermath pt 4

_Shattered Remains_

The Aftermath pt. 4

Beast Boy

_Why? What has happened to me? _

Beast Boy vaguely recalled what he had heard from the voice in his head. However, he had remembered one last thing the voice whispered to him.

_"You are the cause of Terra's betrayal."_

_No…it was not my fault. _

Beast Boy felt his eyelids pulse. Aware of his being, he opened them. He waited for the blur in his vision to leave.

Once his vision became clear, so did his thoughts. Beast Boy sensed faint movement.

He looked out of the door to see Starfire walking up a flight of stairs. Beast Boy, however, had neither the time, nor the will to follow her.

He sat up in his place, head still throbbing. He saw that Robin lay unconscious on the floor.

_May as well leave now. I really don't want to talk to anyone right now, especially none of the Titans. _

Beast Boy left the room, leaving Robin there alone.

Once out of the room, Beast Boy morphed into a hummingbird and flew upward, toward the top of the staircase.

_Terra. It was my fault. If I had not let her think I lied… she would still be here with me._

_I should have talked to her more. Instead, I let my damned nerves get the best of me. If I had spent more time with her, she would have known that I never told a soul. Then she never would have left in the first place. And then…Slade never would have gotten to her._

Beast Boy reached the top of the staircase. He passed up Starfire, who was also just reaching the top. But she appeared to be lost in her own little world.

Beast Boy continued to fly straight ahead. He flew through a lobby and continued down a long hall.

After turning another corner, he thought he had heard a faint shattering of glass, but he decided to press forward.

Beast Boy continued flying down a hall in the massive corporation that was Wayne Enterprises.

As he continued, he passed by a window, causing him to about face. He flew for the window and directly out of it and into the raining city of Gotham.

The rain somehow soothed him. It seemed to wash his troubles away, but not entirely. He could still feel himself being weighed down by his emotional torment.

Again, Beast Boy's mind wandered to Terra.

_Terra. If you can hear me up there, I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am for driving you to your betrayal, which… in the end, led you to your death._

Beast Boy wanted so much to hear Terra's voice tell him that it was okay, but he knew that he would not hear it.

All he ever wanted was some closure. He merely wished to know that he was forgiven, that it would all be okay in the end. But Beast Boy's faith in anything and everything was shot.

Beast Boy morphed into an eagle and soared quickly through the rain.

_Terra, I need you back in my life. I cannot stand not having you here with me. But I suppose I deserve this torment. Having you with me was a privilege…a privilege that I lost when I allowed you to leave. And for that I am sorry._

In the distance, Titans Tower came into view. Beast Boy continued to fly toward it. But when he came near the tower, he flew straight past it.

_Not yet. _

Beast Boy continued flying across Jump City, toward a place that filled him with so much emotion. He flew toward a place that, for Beast Boy, possessed the origin of all of his pain. He flew toward Slade's old hideout. Terra's burial ground, shrine, and memorial.

When he reached the caverns of the once active volcano, Beast Boy morphed back into a human.

As he walked through the tombs, his mind was flooded with memories of Terra and their battles together.

_This place…really takes me back._

Beast Boy continued strolling through the cavernous volcano until he saw an earthen pillar in the distance. Atop the pillar was Terra, stoned in place.

Beast Boy crossed the shaft leading him to his lost love.

He finally reached the earthen body of Terra.

So many emotions rushed through him; sorrow, anger, love, loss. But one emotion dominated them all; regret. Regret that he ever let her leave. Regret that he could not see what she had been going through. Regret that he had driven her to her imminent demise.

"Terra." Beast Boy's throat was dry. "I know you can't hear me, but I came here to tell you how sorry I am. I'm so sorry that I couldn't save you…from yourself."

Beast Boy looked at the dead roses on her headstone.

He allowed his emotions to let loose. "Why Terra! Why did you have to leave me all alone?" The tears gushed from his eyes. "You have no idea what you've done to me! Every day since your death I have had to look in the mirror and hate myself, and you! Every day I have to hate the fact that I love you so damn much!"

Beast Boy dropped to the floor in tears. He was alone. There was no one to hold him, no one to save him, no one to protect him from himself…just like Terra. All there was, was…

"Get up off of the floor!"

Beast Boy looked up to see the Hive Five, led by Jinx, standing behind him.

He merely brushed them off and went back to wallow in his own messed up world.

"What the…?" Jinx said to herself.

Gizmo decided that he would approach the green Titan. "What's wrong with you, you green piece of snot! Get up and stop crying like a little baby!"

In his sudden rage, Beast Boy morphed into a gorilla and knocked Gizmo clear across the cavern.

The rest of the Hive Five looked at their fallen comrade.

Mammoth looked to Jinx. "May I…?" He asked, pounding his fists together.

Jinx waved him off, still looking at Beast Boy. "No. You guys pick up Gizmo and head back to Headquarters."

"But…" SeeMore questioned.

Jinx shot an evil sneer his way. "The boy is mourning over the loss of this chick. He's not a threat."

SeeMore nodded and led the rest of the team out of the volcano.

Once Jinx was sure they were gone, she reverted her attention back to Beast Boy.

_Pathetic._

She approached him. "What is wrong with you?" She asked coldly.

Beast Boy ignored her. He had no time for her. He just wished she would leave him. Leave him to wallow.

"Hey, I'm talking to you." She was growing irritated.

Again, she received no reaction from the green changeling.

"What is wrong with y--?"

Beast Boy had cut her off by jumping up and grabbing her by the throat. He pushed her back.

"You need to _leave_!"

Beast Boy's tears fell freely this time. He felt no need to hold back. He stared into the panicked eyes of the sorceress.

"P-Please… I can't… breathe!" Jinx spoke in strained gasps.

Just as quickly as Beast Boy's rage reached it's peek he hit realization.

_This is not me._

He let Jinx go, she dropped to the floor as the oxygen quickly ran into her lungs.

_I am not a killer. I don't hurt people. This is not who I am. What is becoming of me?_

Beast Boy thought it best to simply leave the girl there, allowing her to leave on her account. All of his worries about Terra were quickly washed away by the events playing out in front of him. However, they were replaced with new worries.

_Am I becoming a monster again? I must go._

He thought to leave when Jinx looked up at him. Beast Boy's heart shattered.

The look of utter pain and terror in the girl's eyes made Beast Boy feel like he _was _a killer and a horrible person.

"I-I'm so sorry…" He whispered, kneeling to her level.

"N-No." She coughed out. "I should have let you be. You were no threat to me whatsoever."

Beast Boy was speechless. He had never spoken to the enchantress, but the feelings of remorse and regret she conveyed did not seem like her.

"It's not your fault… it is, after all, in your nature." Beast Boy hid the shock he felt at the harshness of his words.

Jinx's regretful façade was replaced with an angered one. "What is _that_ supposed to mean?"

He couldn't back down now, not to her, not here, not in front of Terra. "Well you are a villain aren't you? It's your natural goal in life to cause people pain."

Jinx's rage had built up to climax. "You know _nothing_ of me! Look here boy; you cannot simply judge me by what I do. Actions are not the only thing that defines a person. You assume that because I work for a villainous mastermind there is nothing else to me. Well you don't know the first thing about me!"

Beast Boy struck speechless. Never had he heard so much from the soft-spoken girl. Her words made him feel like the entire experience from earlier changed him.

He looked to the girl with saddened eyes. She shifted hers to the ground.

"I never wished to join with Slade and his plans." She spoke barely above a whisper. "All my life I was downtrodden because of my prowess. I had no friends; even my parents wanted nothing to do with me." She paused to look Beast Boy directly in his eyes. He saw the tears forming in her lavender orbs.

She continued. "Then I met Mammoth and Gizmo. We became like siblings since then. But they were consumed by the evil when Slade offered us positions on his force. Even since we accepted, we've grown apart from one another."

Beast Boy had no idea one so cold could possess so much depth. Suddenly, Jinx broke down in tears.

"I'm better off dead... than living this lie called a life."

Beast Boy could not help but feel drawn to this girl who had gone through so much. She vaguely reminded him of Terra.

Beast Boy stood and kneeled by the sorceress.

_What do I even say to her? It's not like I actually know her… or even like her._

Then Beast Boy realized that he was going through the exact same thing she was. He felt like his death would make the world a better place. And he knew exactly what to say.

"I know exactly how you feel." He began, wearing a sad smile.

The girl looked up at the boy who was ever so close. "You do not know anything."

Beast Boy chuckled. "What, you didn't see me up here? I was bawling like a baby… but now I realized that her death was not my fault. And you are not at a fault either. You only wished to be accepted and there is nothing wrong with that. You found that acceptance in the first place you could. Granted, that place did not turn out to be the best place, but what other choice did you have?"

Jinx stared into the eyes of this boy who knelt before her. Feeling the sincerity of his words.

"Why?" She asked.

Beast Boy raised an eyebrow. "Why what?"

Jinx spoke at a whisper as her gaze fell to the ground once more. "Why would you waste your time…consoling one as shameful I?"

There was that pain again. Beast Boy could not explain why, maybe it was the fact that Jinx reminded him so much of Terra before her betrayal, but he was definitely drawn to the saddened girl.

He held her chin lightly in his hand and veered her to face him. Her eyes, however, remained on the ground.

"You're not shameful." He said to her. He whispered something else. "You're beautiful."

Jinx's eyes widened in surprise.

_Did she hear me? _Beast Boy swallowed hard.

Jinx looked up at the changeling before her. "What…did you say?" She asked tenderly.

Beast Boy's mind was racing. "I uh, nothing! I didn't say anything!" Beast Boy's attempts to hide the truth failed miserably.

"Did you say I am beautiful?" She asked, rising to her knees.

"W-What? No! I didn't say anything!" Beast Boy panicked in a mad frenzy, he had no idea what to do. He was slowly being boxed in.

"No one has ever told me that before." Jinx began to inch toward Beast Boy.

Now his heart was beating wildly. In his panic, Beast Boy fell back onto his elbows. Jinx slowly brought her body over his.

She stared into his eyes. Beast Boy could see the many emotions going through her mind.

Just as he began to protest, Jinx planted her full, soft lips on Beast Boy's.

That one kiss swept all of his worries away, Terra and everything around them, gone. All there was was Beast Boy and Jinx, trapped in a world of sensations beyond either of them.

Beast Boy slowly closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around Jinx's slender waist, pulling her closer to him.

So many things about her, about this moment, sent his senses haywire.

The feelings of the warmth she projected all throughout her body filled the emptiness of Beast Boy's hollowed soul. The emptiness inside began to fill with that sensuous moment.

The sounds of their movements made his ears perk up. He continued to hear her voice in mind, speaking to him. The softness of her voice played over and over in his mind. He truly loved the sound of her voice.

Her beauty remained on his closed eyelids, staring him in the eyes. The visions of her showed him her true emotions and what she was truly feeling. His vision was clouded by her serenity.

The scent, which wafted through his nostrils, filled him with even more passion than he was already feeling. The sweet smell of cherry blossom left him dying for more of her.

But of all things, her taste dominated all. Beast Boy could taste the sweetness on the lips of this girl. Like a child in a child in a candy shop, he never wished to leave. And perhaps he never would.

The kiss became heated and passionate. Hands began to wander across warm bodies.

Beast Boy decided to slow things down, this was too great to rush through. He softly rolled Jinx over so that he was on top of her.

All he did was stare into her sated lavender eyes.

"So beautiful…" He whispered.

Their intensity and passion had caused Jinx's hair to flatten. Beast Boy spotted a loose strand of hair. He tucked it back behind her ear, and cupped the side of her face.

Beast Boy slowly leaned down to hover just above Jinx's lips. She shivered at the sensations of his warm breath on her lips. She hungered for more of him.

Beast Boy moved the final inch to connect their lips together. They slowly kissed, taking in each other's presence.

Jinx brought her arms up around Beast Boy's neck, slowly pulling him closer to her, never wishing to let go.

Beast Boy slipped his arms beneath Jinx's body. He pulled the two of them up so that they were standing.

Luckily for Beast Boy's ego, Jinx was slightly shorter than him.

Beast Boy held the enchantress close to him. Their body heat created sensual sensations once more.

He began to run his fingers through her silky hair.

They slowly broke away, Jinx's arms clasped around Beast Boy's neck and Beast Boy's arms wrapped firmly around her waist.

Neither of them ever wished to let go.

For a good moment they merely basked in each other's presence. Taking in all the atmosphere around them.

But the moment had been ruined when Jinx caught site of Terra. She looked to Beast Boy confusion filled her eyes. "Beast Boy, I don't know where this is going or how these feelings were even created. But… I need to know… are you dedicated to me?"

Beast Boy had no idea what to say, he could not just say, _"Yeah baby."_ He hardly knew her and yet he was feeling all these things for her, the best way to go was to be as honest as possible. He did not want to ruin this amazing experience so soon. His next words could be truly fateful,

"Jinx, I don't know where all this came from either, but all I know is that me and you…we just felt so right. I don't know how to explain it any better than that. I mean, I don't know the first thing about you, but my heart just shattered when I saw your pain and torment. And when you kissed me…I knew that I wanted to be the one to make you smile."

Jinx knew his words were sincere. She could sense it in his body language and the sincerity in his eyes. His words had hit her heart in ways nothing else ever had. But there were still matters to attend to.

"Do you still…love her?" She asked softly.

Beast Boy definitely had not expected this question to rise. "Jinx… I… I am still in love with Terra. But she is in the past. It is time for me to move on."

Jinx stepped away from Beast Boy. "If you still love her… then I cannot be with you." Jinx turned to leave, a tear forming in her eye.

_No. I'm not losing you now. Not yet. Not when I'm just learning all of these feelings even exist!_

Beast Boy grabbed her hand. "No. I _need _you…to help me get over her. Jinx, you make me feel things I never experienced with Terra. Knowing that someday you will truly love me will put my old feelings for Terra to rest. Please… don't leave me here."

Jinx's eyes filled with tears of joy. She latched onto Beast Boy for dear life. He wrapped his arms tightly around her.

Never had she revealed such emotion to anyone. She never knew how good it felt to share these things. For so long, she had kept everything inside.

"Beast Boy…you have no idea how much I need you."

Beast Boy released slightly look into Jinx's eyes. Confusion had filled him. "What do you mean?"

Her mouth trembled as she tried to hold back tears. Jinx let out a sigh as she prepared to reveal this to him. "I just…got so sick of my useless existence. I hated Slade and having to lead one of his units. I had no purpose anymore." She paused to look into Beast Boy's eyes. "Beast Boy, one week ago I had begun plotting my suicide."

Just when he thought this girl could not make him feel any more sorrow for her than she already had, she hit him with this. "Jinx…" He now knew that Jinx was here to stay. They would need each other through their difficult times.

Jinx just grasped onto him, never wanting to let go. She had found home. Here in Beast Boy's arms, she felt loved, cared for. She felt like she had…purpose. Beast Boy had given her the purpose she had so desperately searched for.

Beast Boy looked into Jinx's eyes. "Look," he began. "We'll just take this one day at a time."

She nodded, smiling at the boy who had come to her rescue even when he was in so much pain.

"Thank you…so much Beast Boy."

Beast Boy just smiled at the girl in his arms, still taking in her wonderful scent. They would help each other so much in their lives.

As long as they had each other, they could dominate the oppression of their haphazard emotions.

"Could you take me with you to the Tower?" She asked quietly.

Beast Boy looked at her, silently questioning her.

"I want nothing to do with the Hive or Slade anymore Beast Boy. All I want is you. I would much sooner join the Titans if it meant that I'd be closer to you."

This girl never ceased to amaze him. She was willing to give up so much. Change her life, everything about her just so that she could be with him.

"Sure. Come on."

He scooped Jinx up in his arms and planted a kiss on her lips. "Let's go home."


	6. Author's Note

**A/N: **This story will be deleted and I will be starting fresh. I apologize to all my reviewers and readers of this story. I wasn't pleased with the writing of this, not nearly my best.

Be sure to check out my latest fics:

**Concrete Tears: Story Of A Raven**

**Teen Titans Beyond** (previously entitled 'Cursed')

**These Grim Adventures: Winner Take All**

**From Method To Madness**

Again, I apologize. Upon the new Shattered Remains, this old version will be deleted.

Regards,

_Ikubak (Kabuki)_


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